Nigeria’s dream of playing at the 2026 FIFA World Cup has come to an end after FIFA confirmed the final teams for the inter-confederation play-off tournament.
In a statement released on Wednesday, FIFA named DR Congo as Africa’s representative in the six-nation competition. The decision means there is no place for Nigeria in the tournament.
The Nigeria Football Federation had earlier submitted a formal protest. The federation claimed that DR Congo used ineligible players during their CAF play-off match in November 2025. That game ended 1-1 before Nigeria lost on penalties.
Nigeria’s appeal asked FIFA to overturn the result and award them a spot in the inter-continental play-offs. However, FIFA’s latest update has now settled the matter.
According to FIFA, six countries will compete for the final two tickets to the World Cup, which will be hosted by Canada, Mexico and the United States across 16 cities.
The qualified teams are Bolivia, DR Congo, Iraq, Jamaica, New Caledonia and Suriname. The play-off matches will begin on 26 March.
With DR Congo officially confirmed, Nigeria’s protest has failed, ending their hopes of reaching the 2026 World Cup.
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